Apparatus for suspending a body in a corrosive solution

ABSTRACT

A fixture for suspending a body having shafts in a corrosive solution wherein the fixture protects the shafts from contact by the corrosive solution while providing a path for the flow of electricity to the body.

United States Patent 72] Inventors John W. Hayford;

William M. Tucker, both of Rochester, N.Y. 792,508

Jan. 21, 1969 Oct. 26, 1971 Eastman Kodak Company Rochester, N.Y.

[21 Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee [54] APPARATUS FORSUSPENDING A BODY IN CORROSIVE SOLUTION 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figs. 521 US.Cl 204/297 51 161.0 C23b 5/70 50 Field 61 Search 204/297, 212,25

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,462,357 8/1969 Karlquist204/297 2,155,392 4/1939 Ballard 204/297 Primary Examiner-John H. MackAssistant Examiner-Sidney S. Kanter Attorneys-Walter O. l-lodsdon andPaul R. Holmes ABSTRACT: A fixture for suspending a body having shaftsin a corrosive solution wherein the fixture protects the shafts fromcontact by the corrosive solution while providing a path for the flow ofelectricity to the body.

PATENTEDDEI 26 \911 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

JOHN w HAYFORD WILL/AM M. rue/(E INVI'IN H )RS A TTORNEYS APPARATUS FORSUSPENDING A BODY IN A CORROSIVE SOLUTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an anodizing and plating apparatus.More particularly this invention relates to a fixture which protects theshafts of a body from contact by the electrolyte utilized in such anapparatus and into which the body is submerged.

in the art of plating and anodizing rollers such as, for example,transparent rollers, coating rollers, printing and pressure rollers, oneof the most diflicult problems is to protect the metal roller shaltsfrom contact by the electrolyte.

ln anodizing a roller, the roller is the anode of the electricalcircuit, and the anodizing bath (the electrolyte) tends to dissolve theshaft metal (typically steel or stainless steel) causing pitting oretching of the shaft surface and making the shafts less suitable forrotatably supporting the roller in the equipment in which it isultimately to be used.

In a plating bath the roller is a cathode in the electrical circuitandthe plating solution tends to plate out the metal onto the roller shaftcausing metallic deposits on the shaft surface. Some corrosive platingbaths will also pit and otherwise corrode the shaft surface. In eithercase the shaft is less suitable for rotatably supporting the roller.

l-leretofore the prior art has dealt with this problem in a rathercumbersome manner. First of all, because the'roller becomes a part ofthe electrical circuit, means are provided to connect the roller to thecircuit by suitably attaching a metal strip or wire to the shaft. Thestrip or wire is then connected to the appropriate pole of theelectrical source depending upon whether the roll is to anodic orcathodic.

A corrosive-resistant coating is then placed over the area of the shaftto be protected while allowing the wire or strip to pass therethrough.The coating is usually an organic corrosion-resistant paint. In somecases, layers of corrosion-resistant paint and a corrosion-resistanttape are built up over the area to be protected.

The technique is time consuming and, unless extreme care is taken inapplying the coating, the technique does not always result in acompletely leakproof cover. Furthermore, once the roll is plated oranodized, the coating is stripped off and discarded because it cannot beused again.

Thus there is a need for a reusable fixture which will protect theshafts of the body from contact by the electrolyte bath while providingthe proper electrical contact, and which is easily and efficientlyinstalled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The fixture embodying the present inventionprotects the shafts of a body from contact by an electrolyte whileproviding an electrical path between the body and an electric circuit.

The fixture may be readily incorporated into an anodizing or platingapparatus and includes a cup member for encasing a shaft and a sealingmeans disposed on the outer periphery of the shaft between the cup rimand the roll body for preventing flow of the electrolyte onto theencased shaft. The fixture further includes means which extend throughthe wall of the cup for engaging the shaft to hold the cup rim inoperative engagement with the sealing means and for completing anelectrical path between the fixture and the roller. Further means areincluded for connecting the cup member to the suspending means.

In one embodiment of the present invention the holding and completingmeans includes a threaded hole in the cup wall and a bolt threadedlymounted in the hole and extending into engagement with the shaft.

in accordance with a further aspect of the preferred embodiment, the cupmember, the holding and completing means and the connecting means areformed from an aluminum alloy and are covered with a corrosion-resistantcoatmg.

In another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the fixture in whichthe concepts of the present invention are utilized, the holding andcompleting means includes a hole fonned in the wall portion of the cupmember and an elongated guide tube positioned in contact with the cupover the hole so that the base of the tube is in alignment with thehole. The tube has a thread portion in the base at the end opposite theend of the tube in contact with the cup member. An elongated screw rodis threadedly positioned in the tube base with one end in contact withthe roller shafi. The screw rod and guide tube are of sufficient lengthso that when the roller is submerged in the electrolyte, the threadedend of the guide tube is above the surface of the electrolyte.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of the specification. For a better understanding of the invention,the operating advantages and the objectives obtained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention'has beenillustrated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a sectional view of the fixture ofthe present invention engaging a shaft.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fixture.

FIG. 3 i'sa side view of an anodizing tank in which the fixture of FIGS.1 and 2 has been incorporated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT While'the preferred embodimentof a fixture utilizing the present invention is described in terms ofits use in an anodizing apparatus, it will be obvious to one skilled inthe art that the present invention could be easily used in similar typeequipment such as a plating apparatus.

Referring to FIGS. '1 and 2: The elements of the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention are a cup member 10, shaft seals 14, screw bracket18, a guide tube 22, screw rod 26, a bracket rod 30, and a hook member34.

The cup member 10 is a cylindrical sleeve having one end open and theopposite end capped off so that the sleeve can he slipped over the endof the shaft S as shown in FIG. I. A guide tube 22 is radially disposedfrom the cup wall 12. A hole 16 is formed in the cup wall 12 and thebore 24 of the guide tube 22 is positioned in alignment over the hole 16in the cup 10. The guide tube 22 is welded or otherwise suitablyattached to the cup 10.

The screw rod 26 is an elongated rod which is positioned in the bore 24of the guide tube 22 and has a knob 28 attached to one end. A portion ofthe rod adjacent the knob 28 is threaded 29.

The threads 29 in the screw rod 26 correspond to threads in the bore 31of a screw bracket 18 which is attached to the end of the guide tube 22.By this arrangement, the screw rod 26 is held in place so that thecontact end 32 of the rod firmly and securely contacts the shaft 8.

A bracket rod 30 extends from the guide tube 22 and has a hook member 34disposed from its free end as shown in the figures. The hook member 34is used to support a roller R on a work rod 36 as shown in FIG. 3.

In actual practice the fixture of the present invention is used in pairsfor supporting both ends of a roller as shown in F IG. 3. FIGS. 1 and 2show the arrangement of the fixture for installing on one end of aroller. A mirror image of the fixture in FIGS. 1 and 2 is made forinstallation on the opposite end of the roller.

Referring again to FIG. I: When the fixture according to the pressedbetween the cup lip H and the shoulder 13. Thereupon the screw rod 26 istightened to contact the shaft surface and to hold the cup in contactwith the shalt.

The screw rod 26 serves a twofold purpose; the first is to hold the cuplip ll in engagement with the ring 14 to prevent fluid from leakinginside the cup when the roller is submerged in the fluid; the second isto press the cup into good electrical contact with the shaft of theroller R. The inside diameter of the cup is dimensioned to have a closeslip fit onto the shaft so that the cup is held in uniform contact withthe shaft to make a good electrical connection. The cup 10 is alsodimensioned sufficiently long enough so that it can be used to protect avariety of shaft lengths of a given shaft diameter.

FIG. 3 shows an arrangement of an anodizing tank 37 in which thepreferred embodiment of the present invention is especially useful.

The tank 37 is fabricated from a typical corrosion-resistant materialand is filled with a typical anodizing acid up to the indicated level38. The cathode 40 is disposed near the bottom of the tank and isconnected to an electrical power source 42 of typical design. At the topof the tank is mounted the work rod 36. The work rod 36 is positionedacross the tank 37 and is properly insulated therefrom because the workrod is also connected to the power source 42 and is part of theelectrical circuit.

As shown in FIG. 3 a roller R is suspended in the tank 37 from the workrod 36 by means of the fixture in which the present invention isembodied. The book members 34 are in physical contact with the work rod36 and the electrical current flows from the power source 42 through thework rod 36 through the fixture of the present invention and into theroller The screw rod 26 is made from a metal (such as aluminum) which issofter than the steel roller shaft S so that when the rod is tightened,it will not scar or damage the shaft surface.

The entire fixture of the preferred embodiment of the present inventionis fabricated from a suitable aluminum alloy which may be coated with asuitable corrosion-resistant coating such as a vinyl plastisol.

In the preferred embodiment, the guide tube 22 and screw rod 26 are madeto a sufficient length so that the fixtures can suspend rollers ofvarious diameters from the work rod while allowing the screw knob 28 ofthe screw rod 26 to remain above the electrolyte surface. However, itcan be easily visualized that the guide tube and screw rod be properlysealed and fabricated so that the guide tube and knob could besubmerged.

Furthermore, it can also be easily visualized that the method of loadingand suspending a roller having the present fixtures attached theretodepends upon the size and weight of the rollers. Small, light rollerscan be loaded on the work rod by hand. If large heavier rollers arebeing anodized, the work rod may have to be eliminated and the presentfixture will be used to suspend a roller from other types of supportmeans such as overhead cranes, etc. Of course, suitable arrangementswould have to be made to provide electrical power to the fixture and toinsulate the support equipment from that electrical power.

The present fixture is readily adaptable to a modification of the usedescribed above. In the modification, instead of compressing the 0" ringbetween the cup and the roller, a collar could first he slipped on theshaft and held in place by setscrews. The "0 ring would be slipped overthe shaft, and the fixture would then be placed on the shafi to compressthe "O" ring between the collar and the cup rim. With such amodification of the use of the fixture, the fixture can be used inlonger shafts or shafts where it is desirable only to protect the endportion thereof.

In another modification of the present fixture the sealing means ispositioned adjacent the cup rim between the cup and the shaft. In thismodification the seal is mounted in a groove formed in the interiorsurface of the cup wall.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference topreferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variationsand modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

We claim:

1. A fixture for suspending a body having at least one shaft in anelectrolyte contained in a tank comprising, a cup member having a wallportion adapted to encase the shaft, sealing means associated with saidcup member for preventing the flow of electrolyte onto said cup member,means defining a hole in said wall portion, an elongated guide tubehaving a first and a second end and a bore formed longitudinallytherethrough, the first end of said tube positioned so that the bore isin alignment with said hole, said bore having a threaded portion at theend corresponding to the second end of said guide rod, an elongatedscrew rod having a contact end and a knob end, and positioned in saidbore, said screw rod having a threaded portion adjacent the knob end forthreading with the threaded portion of said bore to hold the contact endof said screw rod into engagement with a shaft in said cup member, saidscrew rod and guide rod being of sufiicient length so that when a bodyis submerged in said electrolyte the second end of said guide bore andthe knob end of the screw rod are above the surface of the electrolyte,and means for connecting said guide tube to said tank.

i i t t i PO-1O5O UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPatent No. ,616,447 D t October 2Q, 1221,

Inventor) John W. Hayford and William M. Tucker It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

I' Column 4, line 39, cancel "rod" first occurrence, insert --tube-.

Column 4, line 44, cancel "rod", second occurrence, insert Signed andsealed this 13th day of June 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETOHER JR ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

